Both chambers are in recess until Monday, February 27.

As Congress stands in recess for the week, the Senate Appropriations Committee shared guidance and deadlines for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) process last Friday. 

The deadlines for the Subcommittee are as follows.

·     Agriculture, Rural Development, Food, and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies March 31, 2023

·     Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies April 5, 2023

·     Defense (not accepting CDS requests) April 14, 2023

·     Energy and Water Development March 30, 2023

·     Financial Services and General Government March 31, 2023

·     Homeland Security April 11, 2023

·     Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies April 4, 2023

·     Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies April 13, 2023

·     Legislative Branch (not accepting CDS requests) March 30, 2023

·     Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies April 7, 2023

·     State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (not accepting CDS requests) April 12, 2023

·     Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies April 6, 2023

Senators are still finalizing their official deadlines for CDS requests. The House Appropriations Committee and House leadership still need to update guidance at this time, but the expectation is the committee will announce updated guidelines and deadlines soon. Many conservative members have called for changes to the earmarking process, a call that many expect Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to follow, with the magnitude of the changes yet to be determined.

Lawmakers are taking advantage of the time off and are scheduling various Congressional Member Delegation (CODEL) trips. Recess is a typical time for members to take CODELs or official visits abroad. After dozens of senators and members attended the Munich Security Conference, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) led a CODEL to India, discussing India as a counterweight to China. Additionally, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will host a group of Republicans in the United Arab Emirates. The group includes freshman members Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.). These visits 

Today, voters in Virginia’s 4th District will head to the polls in a special election to fill the late Rep. Donald McEachin’s (D-Va.) seat. State Sen. Jennifer McClellan, a Democrat, is expected to win the seat that President Biden won by 36 percent in the 2020 election facing off against Republican Leon Benjamin.